Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61440 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61440 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
“You’re so welcome.” She reaches out, plucking a piece of lint from my shoulder and smoothing her fingertips across the fabric while I fight the urge to cringe. “In fact, I was wondering if you might be able to do me an itty-bitty favor. With all the vetting for the Portland office transition team, I’m behind on reviewing applications for New York. If I get you the files, could you handle that for me today?”
I pause, waiting for her to say she’s kidding, that this is her standard first-week-at- the-office prank on the new guys. But she just keeps batting her perfectly made-up baby blues.
My first inclination is to help, but just as I’m about to offer it up, a voice in my head chimes, WWDD—What Would Dudes Do? A dude at my level wouldn’t be so quick to take on extra work, no matter how flirty Blair’s being.
I clear my throat. “I wish I could, but hiring isn’t my area of expertise.”
“Of course not. I just thought you might be able to look over these resumes and see if any stand out. I’d really value your out-of-the-box opinion on this.”
I pretend to consider her request—I’d kill to get a look at those files. But something about her approach is making my sixth sense tingle—and not in the good way.
I shake my head, doing my best to appear sympathetic. “I’m pretty slammed myself. Jack’s sent me enough new client profiles to have me staying late every night this week.”
Her smile brittles. “We’re all team players here, Eric. I’m sure Jack doesn’t expect you to get everything done this week. He understands that priorities are flexible in a dynamic work environment.”
Wow. I can’t believe she has the ovaries to try to con me into doing her work. I’m about to apologize and offer another excuse, but then I remember that unnecessary apologies are on the dude no-no list. So, with a firm shake of the head, I follow up with, “No can do, Blair. Being the new guy, I think it’s best if I stay focused on the work I’ve been assigned. I’m sure you understand.”
Blair’s pretty features scrunch into the “swallowed sour milk” expression I’m familiar with from Ellie’s original attempts to get information from her, when Rictor breezes by, snapping his fingers, “On your feet, Webb. All hands on deck in the conference room.”
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Dude.” Rictor arches a brow. “Falling asleep on the job already? DOJ put a kill order on the Sparks-GenCom merger last night, and the tech sector is taking it in the ass. Jack wants your input.”
“Be right there.” Tamping down the zing I feel that Jack requested my input, I flash Blair a “duty calls” smile and slip around her, laptop tucked under my arm, hoping there might be time to ask Jack how serious he wants me to get with my client research after the emergency huddle.
Is this just for show?
Or is he actually expecting me to put my incomplete MBA to work?
Either way, it’s flattering to have been trusted with important research for the company he and my brother value above almost everything else in their lives. For my brother, I like to think family comes first, and I know Jack, an orphan since his parents died, is devoted to his friends.
But aside from that, it’s all business all the time for those two.
That’s the only reason Jack spent half his weekend with me, after all—because he was afraid I would drop the ball and negatively impact his business. It’s something I would be smart to remember when I’m tempted to replay that kiss over and over in my mind like my favorite song.
Attaching meaning to a workaholic’s moment of weakness would be foolish indeed.
I hurry into the conference room in a manly way I know would make Jack proud if he were watching, but he isn’t. He’s focused on something one of the senior brokers is showing him on his phone, his handsome features arranged into his all-business face.
The look remains as he calls the meeting to order with a quick, “Good morning, people. Looks like Monday’s in the mood to kick our asses. So let’s get right into it. We need to get ahead of the tech sector panic before our clients realize there’s a reason to be nervous.”
His attention skims the room, hesitating ever so briefly on yours truly before moving on with a smile. “Hannah will start us off with a recap of what went down last night. Hannah?”
I don’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved that Jack is so clearly unruffled by what happened between us yesterday in the park. But I’m glad he’s making good on his promise to give Hannah more responsibility. Not only has she got the room set up with coffee and healthy breakfast snacks, but she has a great handle on the merger situation, too.